Effie Yeaw Nature Center

Dogs on leashes are allowed in the area leading up to the Visitor Center (the Maidu village and picnic area), but are NOT allowed in the buildings or anywhere in the Nature Preserve. The exception is service animals: Service animals are animals that are individually trained to perform tasks for persons who have qualifying disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Thanks for asking!

Thank you for asking! If you are talking about fishing along the banks of the Lower American River, which you can access through the Effie Yeaw Nature Center trails, then YES, you can fish/fly fish– during fishing season, with a license. This is because the American River is not part of the nature preserve. (However, you cannot fish in the small pond located within the nature preserve.) There are more than 40 species of native and nonnative fish, including naturally spawning fall-run Chinook salmon, steelhead, and American shad. Please be sure to check and adhere to the California fishing regulations for details: http://www.eregulations.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/18CASF_LR.pdf See page 4, item (B).

Parking is $5, but so worth it!

It's a nature preserve. There are not fences except in the parking area. Wildlife is far more scared of us than we are of them. If you don't try to approach the animals, you won't have any problems. It's safe and very kid friendly.

You still have to pay for parking. 5 dollars

It's for all ages. I take my children (ages 5-9) here for their guided hikes and bird showcase (it's free; check their online calendar). Then we hang out along the river banks and have snacks. It's a good place to take your kids.

YES! The Nature Center membership parking pass is actually good for parking anywhere within Ancil Hoffman County Park. (Just not good at other parks/sites in the county park system). It's one of the great reasons to become a member!

Dogs are not allowed on the trails. Dogs on leashes are allowed in the area leading up to the Visitor Center (the Maidu village and picnic area), but are NOT allowed in the buildings or anywhere in the Nature Preserve. The exception is service animals: Service animals are animals that are individually trained to perform tasks for persons who have qualifying disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Thanks for asking!

Hi Martha! Yes, if you have lots of extra black oak acorns, we would be happy to take them off of your hands. Thank you! If you'll be in the Carmichael area soon, stop by and drop them off. We're open every day of the week except Mondays - our business hours are 9am to 4pm beginning tomorrow (November 1). Thank you for offering them to us!

Just our visitor center is closed on Mondays.This is the building that houses our resident animals, museum, and gift shop. The gates to Ancil Hoffman Park are open everyday - dawn to dusk - as are the trails of the nature preserve and the grounds of the Nature Center.

A little girl got bit on the stump playground which they have sectioned off for now. It is only the 3rd bite in 30 years. Use caution and stay on the path you should be fine.

As it is a Nature Area, the pathways of Effie Yeaw are carefully delineated and visitors are not to stray from them. I have not seen that metal detectors are specifically prohibited, but any digging certainly would be. Effie Yeaw is just a parcel of Ancil Hoffman Park, which has a substantial amount of riparian area with acres of tailings from previous mining which is under swift water during high water flows, which I would think would be a great place for someone with a metal detector (though more for coins and jewelry than for gold).

You only have to pay for parking ($5) and then you can walk around the ates and visit the river. For FREE!!